New coach looks for a rebound

INCOMING Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says last year's World Cup would not have attracted new fans, but he hopes that this year, starting with the Super 14 season, the game will return to its crowd-pleasing ways.

Deans' comments yesterday came after Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill this week said the game in this country was at the crossroads as it bled money and shed fans with its boring style of play.

Deans, who this Super 14 season will control New Zealand team the Crusaders for the final time before taking on his Australian role, said the World Cup, which ended with South Africa's win over England in a tryless final, was not one to inspire new fans.

"I think clearly when you look at the World Cup, while it was competitive, unless you had a particular interest in an encounter it probably wasn't going to capture your imagination," Deans said.

"There was a lot of kicking, the teams preferred not to have the ball than have it and, if you look at the recent times, there's probably been a bit of frustration around the game."

But, he said the introduction this Super 14 season of new experimental law variations, which were previewed in last year's Australian Rugby Championship, would help to open up the game and encourage attacking rugby.

The Crusaders will arrive in Melbourne tonight for a pre-season trial against Western Force at Olympic Park tomorrow night. The Crusaders will use 26 players, including a host of NZ representatives, while the Force will also bring a strong squad.

Meanwhile, Wallaby back Matt Giteau has given his strongest indication that he could extend his stay in Perth beyond 2009, saying his appointment as Force vice-captain reflected strengthening ties with the club. "There was a lot of talk last year that I was going to leave and I was not happy here. I have no idea where they were coming from," Giteau said.

Gits mate, i came over here to play a bit of rugby 12 years ago, i fell in love with Perth, and judging by your comments last night i reckon you are too....Being the VC with the captaincy only an injury away(touch wood), that should be a great incentive to stay...

OK... The boy's getting paid a shitload....that's not too likely to change, His woman has just moved over to play netball here.....He's the Vice Captain, with very thinly veiled references to him being the heir apparent....He's mentioned that this will help him stay......I'd say he's buying real estate, not sure if his girlfriend is a Perth girl, but it's bloody hard to get a Perth girl to move if there's a choice! I know, I'm married to one!

Bloody hard to get a Perth Girl to do anything they don't want to do :D:D

Tell me ALL about it!

I see Perth as the new Canberra. Canberra has had appeal in the last 10 years because of an excellent rugby program, intelligent recruiting and freedom from political in-fighting. Now we have the excellent coach and excellent program, Mitch is recruiting highly talented young players and some key old heads (Tai McIsaac and Scott Staniforth being excellent examples of this) and everyone wants whats best for the Force. I predict many good years to come too.

On top of all of that the Force is a good club, with good infrastructure, a god coaching team and a fantastic support base. The also have the benefit of being only the other side of the country from everyone else which i thin elevates the team to a unique position.

Gits has every reason to stay. We know he's a good player and yes he will be able to play pretty much whatever position he wants in whatever club he wants. But with the Force he has a greater opportunity to extend his talents beyond running, kicking and tackling. He is being given the opportunity to lead, to teach the younger kids, to grow up...I honestly believe its going to make him one of the greatest rugby players ever.

And yes his woman is a Perth girl who moved to Canberra to play netball as AIS so moving back was not so tough a decision. She said once she had to make a decision between her netball and him...personally i think she made the right decision...well...at least for her...not so much for the rest of us girls :)

I don't think rugby will ever die and I don't think the code is in trouble. Admittedly the world cup didn't do a lot for us and the early exit also didn't help. But with 4 years to build our international squad and what looks to be a wave of exciting and new talent coming through at super 14 level by the time rugby fever hits the southern hemisphere in 2011, the interest will be back :)

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Originally Posted by GIGS20

... but it's bloody hard to get a Perth girl to move if there's a choice! I know, I'm married to one!

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I'm glad (especially now) that she "convinced" me to have us stay in Perth.

Regarding Gits, good to hear of the appointment and hope it does go some way in convincing him to stay on after next year. When I saw him at the Member's day he looked abit..sulky, for lack of a better word (might have been because the missus threw the little boy at him) and my suspicions at the time were that he'd be happy to be gone..hopefully, with this announcement, I've got it all wrong.

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Originally Posted by GIGS20

Tell me ALL about it!

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Amen brother

Gits girlfriend is the sister of Buddy Franklin who plays for Hawthorn.Potential AFL superstar, family from here. Id rather be a big fish in a small pond than being over there, Remember WA is the engine room of Australia, Gits keeps it clean, his world is his oyster. Hopefully he is a long term Force man.